Through the Ring of Red Mansions

It is said that Jia Huan stayed overnight in Yongchang Hall, and when he woke up the next day, Shui Lang had already gone to the front hall to pay his respects, and Xiao Linzi replied together, "Your Majesty ordered you to prepare some snacks, so Master Jia must eat before going." Jia Huan just picked up the favorite food and tasted it for two or three yuan, then said, "I won't wait for him, you want to tell him, don't forget to send my things to the villa."

Xiao Linzi laughed hurriedly, "You don't need to wait for the saint to come back, I will order someone to send it, and I will never forget it!" He said and led everyone back.Jia Huan then went back the same way, from the Huguo Temple to the Hanlin Academy.

I don't know how many days in a while, it happened that Jia Huan Xiumu was taking care of the accounts of Jinxiu Pavilion in the villa for the past few months. Suddenly, one of Yang Xiong's capable men in Jinxiong Pavilion came down and said, "The Long March sent by Huan Sanye , Shenzhou, Huaxia, and Xuanyuan have returned and are mooring in Quanzhou Port. Because the Quanzhou prefect said that there is no special passage document, the ships are not allowed to come to Tanggu Port, and they will not be released, so they quickly sent people back to report!! "

Jia Huan suddenly heard that it was the fleet he sent out for an expedition to Europe back then. He was stunned for a while, and then he couldn't help but was ecstatic. Go, so he hurriedly asked, "Where is the person who came to report the letter?"

The visitor replied, "Wait outside the door."

Jia Huan ordered to come in, and saw that the man in front of him, although his skin was black and red due to the sea wind, was travel-stained, and he was tired and thin, but he still had a solemn and upright spirit. pick" people.After Jia Huan took Shui Lang as a shareholder, he sent two fleets for the first time. The first four ships sailed to Nanyang, but they came back after a year or two, bringing back Ferdinand and Santos and David, as well as some tropical crop seeds such as cocoa and pistachio, were all planted in a large area by Zhuangzi in Fujian.After resting for half a year, I started to travel back and forth to Nanyang, and now I am almost back on my fourth trip.And the eight giant ships of the second fleet back then were the fleets sailing farther to the European continent. Because the voyage was very long and dangerous, many veteran sailors and sailors would not go there no matter how much money they paid. Lang helped recruit some sailors, but it was almost impossible to make the trip.

While Jia Huan invited the man to sit down and watched tea, he asked the man's name, Lu Chengyi.Lu Chengyi took his seat and reported to Jia Huan, "Yanhuang and Tianlong lost to sea storms and sank near Tianfang. The Phoenix encountered long-haired pirates very close to Europe and unfortunately sank. When returning to the voyage, the pirates sank the Qilin despite their careful strategies, so only the four ships of the Long March, Shenzhou, Huaxia, and Xuanyuan returned. There were 780 crew members on board when they set off, and now they have returned with their lives. , but two hundred and four people..."

Lu Chengyi spoke with a sad tone, and Jia Huan was silent for a while, then felt that it was useless to comfort him, so he said, "I made a booklet with all of your names at the beginning, and now I will definitely give you a generous pension. Besides, it doesn't matter if you can or not." The people who came back and the stories of your journey, after I have settled the four ships first, I will send someone to ask you in detail, and I will print these into books and distribute them from collection halls all over the country , your names are also listed on it. Maybe now or even in a few years, no one will recognize you, but after many years, the people of Daqing will understand that you have opened a door for them .”

Lu Chengyi hurriedly said that he didn't dare to take it seriously, and said, "Master Huan said that when it comes to books, he has a humble job. Back then, Third Master Huan ordered to collect as much local books and documents as possible. We did collect a lot at the beginning, but the paper was afraid of getting wet. There were several big storms on the road, and the boat almost capsized, so the books in some unpacked boxes were soaked in sea water, and they were all broken when they were turned over to dry. Fortunately, they were not put in one place, and more than half of them were preserved. .It's just that I can't read the characters on it, and I don't know what it says."

Jia Huan laughed and said, "It doesn't matter, I have people who can speak foreign languages ​​here, just let them translate. Also, have you found any good things?"

Lu Chengyi said, "Naturally, according to Mr. Huan's wishes, we managed to get all the things we saw that were more useful than Daqing's. It's just that those bastards are too stingy, and they didn't sell them when they bought them with money at first. The brothers must be forced to use some extraordinary means. This time, not only did they bring back all kinds of fast-firing muskets, but also a kind of spinning machine that fell on the ground and spun threads at a very fast speed! There are also those machines mentioned by Mr. Huan The big man and all kinds of medicines have also brought back a lot!"

Jia Huan could probably match what Lu Chengyi said in his heart, and felt even more restless, so he ordered Mo Yan to prepare a horse, and went to meet Zhang Xihua in the household department in person, saying, "These four ships are Jinxiu Pavilion. It’s not from outside. Yang Xiong, the chief treasurer of Jinxiu Pavilion, is my nanny brother. His son was injured in an accident before, and he is still not able to move, so he asked me to explain it for him. Another Quanzhou ship The company can deduct taxes as it should, and it will not break the regulations there."

Zhang Xihua laughed and said, "It's not a big deal. I heard that Jinxiu Pavilion used to have a lot of boats going to Nanyang, but every time they were transported to Beijing by land from there, so the boats didn't enter the inner port, so there was no need to go to Nanyang. What paperwork, why are you guys so stupid this time, it will take seven or eight days to send this paperwork quickly."

Jia Huan said, "It's not that they don't know, it's just that they took the opportunity to take a rest when they came here. Secondly, there are many books and things in it that were brought back just for me. The people below are afraid that something will go wrong after they are delivered, so they go straight to the north. Still cheap."

Zhang Xihua couldn't help laughing when he heard the words, "That must have brought a lot of novelty things. When I get them back, I, Ziqian and Shang Jie will go to see them."

Jia Huan laughed and said, "If you want to go to Jinxiu Restaurant for a drink, you can just talk about it, but if you want to drag the two of them into barriers, my sister-in-law doesn't care about you!"

Zhang Xihua laughed more and more, "Are you envious that we are all married?! Although Shang Jie is not married, it is a sure thing." He said without pretending to others, and directly asked the official below to fetch him. I filled out the passing document, stamped it, and ordered, "Six hundred miles to send it urgently."

Jia Huan thanked him and came back, sent letters to Shui Lang and Yang Xiong, and went to the Beijing Huihui Pavilion to arrange a few gentlemen and scholars who usually like to publish some theoretical articles in exchange periodicals. He only said that there was a group of sailors. When they came back from far away Europe, there were many new and anecdotal stories. Let them listen to what the sailors told them, and then polish them into words and publish them in a special book. These people are willing to do some sorting and editing. There is a reward, so naturally agree to it in a hurry.

All that was left was to wait for the fleet to return to Tanggu Port. Jia Huan felt that life was like a year, and wanted to go to Tianjin to pick him up in person. How could Shui Lang let him go? The decree of the honor guard is about to be issued, so naturally you will follow me to the autumn hunting, and don’t even think about going anywhere else. I’ll send two other people to accompany Yang Xiong to pick it up.”

Yang Xiong also persuaded, "Brother, how about going out to play with me happily? The autumn hunting tour only comes once every three years, and I didn't go there last time. It's also for your own good that Kuang Mengsheng appointed me." Meaning. I’m actually well, but you’re still worried that you won’t let me come back. Besides, those things can’t grow legs by themselves, can they run away? It’s the same when Qiu Lie comes back to see.”

As a result, Jia Huan had no choice but to tell Yang Xiong what he planned to do. Two days later, the Ministry of Rites accepted the order. General Yun Sheng went to the autumn hunt and ordered Tiansi to inspect the auspicious day and prepare for the ceremony.

And when the decree of the autumn hunting was issued this time, it was widely rumored in the harem that the concubine Jia was going to accompany her. Unexpectedly, Concubine Jia was exhausted from daily life and often developed phlegm and illness. .” I couldn’t start for a while.The Holy Majesty wanted to order the Jiaofang of the Jia Mansion to enter the palace, and he also heard that there were few people in the Jia Mansion. Jia Huan, the former Wenyuan Pavilion counselor, was burdened by the crimes of his uncles and moved to the left. Playing, I also saw a book on the desk that this year's river control project is progressing smoothly. The emperor's sacred heart was very happy, and he appointed Jia Huan official to return to his post to accompany him in autumn hunting.

Jia Huan was ordered to be reinstated as an official, and all the officials in the court felt that this young man's favor was undiminished, but Jia's mansion was full of joy as if it was New Year's Eve.Jia's mother ordered two tables of banquets to congratulate Jia Huan, and she couldn't help but wiped her tears and sighed, "The glory that our family has passed down from our ancestors has been lost to your uncle and cousin, and now we have to rely on you." It's good to pick up with Baoyu. You have been a safe child since you were a child, which reassures your master and wife, and Baoyu is also very good. It depends on how he does in the exam this year."

Baoyu was stared at by Jia Zheng, stood up quickly and said, "Don't dare to worry the old lady, I will naturally work hard."

Mother Jia smiled and nodded, "That's right. I have been in your family for more than 60 years. From young to old, I have enjoyed all the blessings. Now I can't let go, only you grandchildren. But The day before yesterday I heard that the empress is not in good health, did you inquire when Huan'er went to receive the decree?"

Seeing Jia Mu coming in, everyone became more and more distracted, and they often spoke in a mournful voice. Since they passed out in the palace last time, it was almost impossible for them to leave the couch. He winked at Jia Huan vigorously.

Jia Huan said with a smile, "Of course I have to ask about this urgently. I heard that it was because after receiving the royal banquet from the Holy Majesty and the Empress, he suffered some cold on the way back to the palace. Now he has recovered. The imperial doctors wanted to be on the safe side." , and then came forward to ask the empress to stay in the palace for maintenance."

Mother Jia believed it was true, and sighed, "After all, she is a girl of our family, and she does everything for the sake of our family, but she is also very restrained there, so it is also a sign of filial piety to favor her mother, Huan'er." You don't have to worry about it either."

Jia Huan listened to what Jia Mu said was solemn, and hurriedly got up and said, "Naturally, the grandson will save it, otherwise reading so many sage books would not be in vain."

Seeing this, Sister Feng hurried over, and said with a smile, "The old lady is in good spirits today. After teaching Brother Bao, she came to teach Brother Huan. It's a pity that the second master is not at home, otherwise I can let the old lady teach and teach!"

Jia Muyin said with a smile, "I know you must think I'm annoying. Anyway, I just feel that today I've been sitting longer than usual, and I'm very tired. I can't control you anymore. You can do it yourself." Come on!" Baoyu Jiahuan hurriedly said, not daring, and sent Jia's mother into the inner room to rest together, and then went out with Jia Zheng.